Geno has help arriving....... for 2019 !
- Thread starter the Blades
- Start date
A much needed body, and it sounds like she has a nice perimeter game. Think Samuelson replacement. Starter, 10 ppg
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She might be more like Svetlana Abrosomova. Abrosomova was one of the first dynamic Eurogirls seen in the women's game, and she was an All American at UConn. My uncle hated the way she played, and she used to drive Geno crazy as well, because she was a super aggressive offensive player. But her game developed. She had more TOs than assists her first two years at UConn, but she turned that around in a big way and was averaging 4 assists a game when injured her senior year. She was a 41% career 3 point shooter at UConn, and a career 50% FG shooter, which were great totals at that time.
Now at nine players and counting with Griffin and Makurat yet to be listed. One more and they can have a girls vs girls scrimmage:
Uconn 2019-20 Women's Basketball Roster
Uconn 2019-20 Women's Basketball Roster
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Q & A:
Who is UConn women’s basketball recruit Ania Makurat? A big Diana Taurasi fan.
plus: " But it would be surprising if the Huskies didn’t add at least one more player that could play next year — likely a graduate transfer. Who that could be remains unseen, but the young Huskies (Dangerfield being the only senior with regular starting experience) could use some help if they want to remain at their typical standards."
Who is UConn women’s basketball recruit Ania Makurat? A big Diana Taurasi fan.
plus: " But it would be surprising if the Huskies didn’t add at least one more player that could play next year — likely a graduate transfer. Who that could be remains unseen, but the young Huskies (Dangerfield being the only senior with regular starting experience) could use some help if they want to remain at their typical standards."
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Walker and Williams started all of last season so the statement that Dangerfield is the only player with regular starting experience is not really correct. Nelson Ododa also started a few games in the AAC tournament when Samuelson was injured.
If they pick up a grad transfer they need a center or power forward with muscle. They have no such player currently on the roster who can crash boards and set mean picks. Ododa can board and block shots and should blossom next year, but she isn’t very strong and is extremely foul prone. You don’t use up her fouls setting picks, you get a dirty work big for that. Women have the same need as the men for such a player
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By the way in deciding on Svetlana Abrosomova being a comparable on this girl I compared Svetlana’s UConn stats to Diana’s. Svetlana was a career 41% 3 point FG shooter and 50% FG shooter at UConn; by comparison Diana was 39% on 3s and 47% FGs, at UConn. I had to remind my uncle of these stats when he denigrated comparison to Svetlana and supported a comparison to Diana. My uncle, like you guys, likes what he sees on tape from this girl.
Regardless, Ania is a highly skilled Euroballer and I believe she will have immediate impact.
Regardless, Ania is a highly skilled Euroballer and I believe she will have immediate impact.
That statement was from the Courant article, but what's incorrect about it? ...It said the Huskies are young and Dangerfield will be the only SR who's been a starter. Last time I checked the other 3 aren't SR's.
The Murray State transfer will help. 6’1 PF averaged 18 and 11.4 and can handle the ball.
Hopefully we get one of the three Tenn kids. Horston being the one I most covet, but Westbrook would be good as well.
Hopefully we get one of the three Tenn kids. Horston being the one I most covet, but Westbrook would be good as well.
Wow... Geno's gettin right at it: Evelyn Adebayo a native of London, England (also guess he's going into full out Euro mode)
UConn Blog: What Evelyn Adebayo Brings
UConn Blog: What Evelyn Adebayo Brings
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The dirty work big girl that UConn needs. Her whopping 3.6 TOs per game a concern, but her job will not be to handle the rock but to defensive board and set picks. She will not handle the ball a lot. Sounds like a Jamelle Elliott type. You need tough post players and UConn has not had a lot of tough posts the past few years, outside of Collier.
So now UConn does have 2 seniors with significant starting experience and we may see Adebayo start at PF and the Polish girl play off the bench at both forward positions, with the other true frosh Griffin also coming off the bench.
All of a sudden the team looks like it could make 13 straight Final 4s a possibility!!!!!!!!!!! Oregon the team to beat though.
All of a sudden the team looks like it could make 13 straight Final 4s a possibility!!!!!!!!!!! Oregon the team to beat though.
2019-20 Starting 5:
5/Center - Nelson Ododa
4/PF - Adebayo/Makurat
3/SF - Walker
2/SG - Williams
1/PG Dangerfield
Bench:
Adebayo or Makurat PF battle loser
Griffin
Camara
Bent
Irwin
They really need another guard to replace Coombs. Bent is a deep bench kind of player and is OK against AAC teams but not against top competition.
5/Center - Nelson Ododa
4/PF - Adebayo/Makurat
3/SF - Walker
2/SG - Williams
1/PG Dangerfield
Bench:
Adebayo or Makurat PF battle loser
Griffin
Camara
Bent
Irwin
They really need another guard to replace Coombs. Bent is a deep bench kind of player and is OK against AAC teams but not against top competition.
I found some tape on Adebayo, she can handle and is a horse! Some of these highlights came at the expense of SEC schools like Kentucky and Tennessee! One move on this tape is an old Kevin McHale move which the last time I saw it, McHale did it.......
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I am thinking right now Adebayo will be the 5th starter at PF and Makurat will back up both forwards. Griffin will be the 7th girl, then Camara, Bent and Irwin.
That gives UConn 4 returning starters from college ball last year, and a 5th starter in Nelson Ododa who has some starting experience last year.
That gives UConn 4 returning starters from college ball last year, and a 5th starter in Nelson Ododa who has some starting experience last year.
I saw she had a season high 28pts vs. TENN and 20pts vs. UK ( but added a season high 9 TOs.. ouch).....single season record at Murray State with 19 double-doubles.
She also did damage against Illinois on that tape....the McHale move came against Tennessee.
The alarming TOs are because she was playing 35 mpg, was handling the ball a lot and driving through lots of traffic. I do not think UConn will use her this way. They will keep her in the low post and tell her to board and score inside, in halfcourt sets. However in transition this girl looks like she will be dynamite. She plays like Collier, a runaway freight train who bulls her way through defenders and to the hoop.
The alarming TOs are because she was playing 35 mpg, was handling the ball a lot and driving through lots of traffic. I do not think UConn will use her this way. They will keep her in the low post and tell her to board and score inside, in halfcourt sets. However in transition this girl looks like she will be dynamite. She plays like Collier, a runaway freight train who bulls her way through defenders and to the hoop.
Also noticed Makurat's 6' 3" sister sat this year and will play as a RS JR at Utah this season.... could she join her sister as a grad Sr at Uconn ?
Utah Women's Basketball | Ola Makurat
Utah Women's Basketball | Ola Makurat
“The 2018-19 sophomore class was a failure, misjudged in talent and toughness..........Some years you get lucky and some you get unlucky,” Auriemma said. “But in recruiting, you can’t miss a year and we missed two. It’s put us in a jam. Azura left early which, OK, you can’t fault the kid, but we made too many plans that involved her and never considered her leaving............. The three returning starters — Walker, Williams, Crystal Dangerfield — sought out Auriemma the other day.
“They go, ‘Coach, you see the preseason poll? They picked us seventh,’” Auriemma said. “They came in another day and said, ‘They might as well have picked us 27th. If we’re not 1 or 2 ...’ So at least they’ve got a bit of a ‘[bleep] you’ mentality.”
Mike Anthony: UConn women’s basketball team is at a strange intersection but in a fine spot
“They go, ‘Coach, you see the preseason poll? They picked us seventh,’” Auriemma said. “They came in another day and said, ‘They might as well have picked us 27th. If we’re not 1 or 2 ...’ So at least they’ve got a bit of a ‘[bleep] you’ mentality.”
Mike Anthony: UConn women’s basketball team is at a strange intersection but in a fine spot
Ania is listed as a PG/SG. I think she’ll back up 1-3. Don’t think she’s a 4. That will go to Camara and Irwin.
Unless we added another PG with size, a true backup center preferably.
I think Danger, CWill, Megan, Ania and Griffin will play most of the 1-3 minutes with Molly getting mop up duty.
Unless we added another PG with size, a true backup center preferably.
I think Danger, CWill, Megan, Ania and Griffin will play most of the 1-3 minutes with Molly getting mop up duty.
Wow, I wasnt ready too see Adebayo's talent. She is really good and a GREAT potential under Geno. First lets hope she gets in better shape, I MUST.
Other than that I think this team looks really good. Top 3 good and if they gel then you are looking at the best team in the country. I like Oregon and wouldn't mind then getting their first title.
Other than that I think this team looks really good. Top 3 good and if they gel then you are looking at the best team in the country. I like Oregon and wouldn't mind then getting their first title.
I’d rather see us win #12, Dom 
I know replacing two all Americans is daunting, but a lot of top teams lost a lot. ND had 5 players drafted.
Baylor loses 2 of top 3 players and the 3rd is coming back from a bad injury on the last night of the year. Miss State loses their Shaq. Ville loses Durr. Etc...
It’s wide open this year.
I know replacing two all Americans is daunting, but a lot of top teams lost a lot. ND had 5 players drafted.
Baylor loses 2 of top 3 players and the 3rd is coming back from a bad injury on the last night of the year. Miss State loses their Shaq. Ville loses Durr. Etc...
It’s wide open this year.
I’d rather see us win #12, Dom
I know replacing two all Americans is daunting, but a lot of top teams lost a lot. ND had 5 players drafted.
Baylor loses 2 of top 3 players and the 3rd is coming back from a bad injury on the last night of the year. Miss State loses their Shaq. Ville loses Durr. Etc...
It’s wide open this year.
Oh you bet caNOLLE ! I KNOW we will compete for a title next year. I think if just 1 of these recruits brings toughness to the team we already have then we will be a favorite. I think Geno's biggest mistakes lately have been having too many
"pretty" players that get beat up.
As I mentioned above I think Adebayo will be the starting 4 and will help on the glass. I don’t think Geno is done but a backup 5 is what they could use. Nelson Ododa is extremely foul prone and got in foul trouble pretty regularly.
I kinda wondered how Geno pulled off getting a player who played in a pro league before she came to college:
How a 2010 NCAA rule change paved the way for Polish recruit Ania Makurat to land at UConn
Marukat will likely be the first girl off the bench at several positions, and could start if anyone at the 1-3 spots gets hurt. She will undoubtedly play a lot. I really like her skill set. Some of the Euroballers we are seeing are very fundamentally sound. Euroball has really come a long way in 20’years. I can recall going to an exhibition game the 1999 UConn men had against a Croatian team they beat by 80. I didn’t realize you could beat anyone by 80 points, but those Croatian dudes played absolutely no D and although they had some size, it was very weak size like the twig big men UConn have had the last couple years. Euroball has advanced tremendously in the last 20 years and even more on the women’s side.
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Kind of reminds me of the Nadav Henefeld situation, who also played 2 years of pro ball (in Isreal) vs. older players before he came to Uconn. Nadav's was older, 21, but was able to play on a pro team before college as a military member. I guess now with the new "Kanter rule" the NCAA makes exceptions.
As Geno says: Who’d you play?’ She named Tiffany Hayes and like three other pros. The average high school kid in America isn’t playing against that kind of competition.”
As Geno says: Who’d you play?’ She named Tiffany Hayes and like three other pros. The average high school kid in America isn’t playing against that kind of competition.”
A lot of the WNBA players play in European pro leagues to supplement their meager income, even the top players. A few years back, Taurasi and Bird comprised the backcourt of a Russian team and they won a league championship to go with the UConn national championship they won playing together. I still think that backcourt was the best in women’s basketball history, pro or college, and they proved it by winning college and professional championships together.
So these young Euroballers are seasoned against great pro competition.
So these young Euroballers are seasoned against great pro competition.
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Another good read on Adebayo, from her former coach at Gardner Webb, who glowingly praises her and thinks she will be a great fit at UConn:
https://www.nhregister.com/uconn/ar...inks-Adebayo-will-be-good-fit-at-13817970.php
https://www.nhregister.com/uconn/ar...inks-Adebayo-will-be-good-fit-at-13817970.php
That is the article I read as well. Makes her seem pretty awesome. Her being option 1-5 on every play makes her stats look bigger than they are but none-the-less she will be a WELCOMED addition.
Westbrook! Can 14.9 points per game and 5.3 assist per game sit on the bench? I don’t think so! Maybe they will start 4 guards?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-sp-former-tennessee-guard-evina-westbrook-joins-uconn-20192904-20190511-5qo7tlygzrgovm3tdvdubcvmbu-story.html?outputType=amp
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc-sp-former-tennessee-guard-evina-westbrook-joins-uconn-20192904-20190511-5qo7tlygzrgovm3tdvdubcvmbu-story.html?outputType=amp